Peanut-picker.



No. 808,442. PATENTED DEC. 26, 1905. r. F. FERGUSON a; J. T. BENTHALL.

PEANUT PIGKER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY17. 1905.

WITNESSES: I INVE ray Fl NruN F. ERcusoN Jess: T BENTHALL ATTORNEYS No. 808,442. PATENTED DEC. 26, 1905. F. P. FERGUSON & J. T. BENTHALL.

PEANUT PICKER.

APPLICATION FILED KAY 1'1. 1905.

5 sums-sum 2.

WITNESSES: lNVENTOl-P' FTNT'ON F FERGUSON dssss'l'. Benn-mu.

N0. 808,442. PATBNTED DEC. 26, 1905.

F. F. FERGUSON & J. T. BENTHALL.

PEANUT PIGKBR' APPLICATION FILED MAY 17. 1905.

5 SHEETSSHEET 3.

INVENTORS FTMTON F. FERGUSON WITNESSES.

Jesse T. B ENTHALL.

ATTORNEYS No. 808,442. I PATENTED DEC. 26, 1905. F. P. FERGUSON & J. T. BENTHALL.

PEANUT PIGKER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY17.1905.

5 SHEETSSHEET 4.

MW. 8 A S u H 56 T RR N M m a W N A 1 V T Wu E 0 v, T 33 S N E w u 7 m G mw m Wm M 4 Q mu 8 8 [L N U W V No. 808,442. PATENTED'DEC. 26, 1905;

P. F. FERGUSON & J.'T. BENTHALL.

PEANUT PICKBR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 17. 1905.

5 SHBETISSHEET 5 IT/VESSES: INVENTORS Q FINTON E FERQusoN JESSE T. B E NTHALL BY M v ATTORNEYS UNITED ST T S PATENT oEEIoE.

- FINTON F. F RGUSON AND JESSE T. BENTHALL, OF MURFREESBORO, NORTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNORS TO RICHARD T. BARNES, or SUN- Specification of Letters Patent.

PEAN-UT-PICKER,

Patented Dec. 26, 1905.

Application filed ay 17, 1905. Serial No. 260,864.

v To a whom it map concern.-

Be it known that we, FINTON F. FERGUSON and JESSE T. BENTHALL, citizens of the United States, residing at Murfreesboro, in the county of Hertford and State of North Carolina, have invented an Improvement in Peanut-Pickers,

. over the end of the machine in condition to be utilized for cattle-feed.

Our invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of devices for accomplishing the above results, which we will now proceed to describe with reference to the drawings, in which Figure 1 is aside elevation with the machine in position for transportation; Fig. 2 is a side elevation from the opposite side. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section on a somewhatlarger scale than Figs. 1 and 2,s'how ing one pair of wheels removed and one end of the machine resting firmly on the ground, as when the machine is at work. Fig. 4: is a rear end elevation. Fig. 5. is an enlarged vertical cross-section taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a partial plan view of the picking-screen. Fig. 7 isa partial plan view of the stirring device for working the nuts through into the picking-screen. Fig. 8 is a detail in perspective of the mechanism for agitating the stirring device.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, A A is the casing of the machine, which is mounted upon wheels and is provided with a tongue and draft attachment for a team fortransportation. The rear partA of the casing is much deeper than the forward part for the purpose hereinafter described. About the middle portion of the casing is erected an upright frame I, in which is journaled in bearings 21. vertical shaft E, having rigidly attached to its upper end a rotary sweep D, which is in the nature of a long arm bent or made in sections and extending downwardly, so as to Our machine is designed to take.

swing around the entire machine. To the lower end of thisarm is attached the team, which when driven around the machine furnishes the power for operating the working parts of the machine. The vertical shaft E (see'Fig. 3) has rigidly attached to it within the frame I a bevel gear-wheel F, which meshes with a smaller bevel-gear F on a horizontal shaft S, bearing outside of the frame I two rigidly-attached sprocket-Wheels G G, Figs. 2 and 4:, placed side by side. One of these wheels G transmits power through a chain belt 9' to a small sprocket-wheel g on the same shaft with a larger gear-wheel 0', Figs. 2 and 3, whichv has inwardly-projecting teeth that engage and drive a pinion O on the shaft of a rotary fan 0. A'belttightener pulley 9 Fig. 2, serves to take up slack in the chain belt 9. The other sprocketwheel Gr is connected by chain belt h to a sprocket-wheel H at the forward end of the machine. A belt-tightener pulley it takes up slack in the belt it.

C is a hopper into which the peanut-vines, with the adhering nuts, are fed. The vines and nuts are separated by devices presently to be described, and the vines are delivered toward the right-hand end of. Fig. 3 over the forward end of the machine onto the ground, while the separated and cleaned nuts pass through the cleaning-fan and out through the side chute J of a shaking-shoe.

The picking devices for separating the nuts from the-vines are best shown in Figs. 3, 5, and 7, in which L and L are sprocket-Wheels distending a carrier-belt consisting of two.

- ciprocating motion at right angles to the run of the belt. This frame has side bars k, con: nected by cross-bars 7c, and these cross-bars have spring-teeth 75 which are made in pairs with the wire bent into U shape, clamped between the bars k, with the ends coiled, and then extended downwardly and forwardly in the direction of the travel of the carrier-belt, as seen in Figs. 3 and 7. Just below the upper run of the carrier-belt is a stationary picking-screen M, composed of stout wire with meshes about three inches long and of a diamond shape, as seen in Fig. 6, with the lon- Just above the upper gitudinal axis of the diamond parallel to the run of the belt. This picking-screen is at' its side edges fixed to the main frame, and its function is to catch the nuts in its acute angles as they drop down through the meshes While being carried forward by the carrierbelt and are thus pulled ofi the vines and drop down through the lower run of the belt onto the floor N, on which the lower run of the belt moves. This floor has longitudinal grooves n, in which the pins of the carrierbelt run, as seen in Fig. 5. vFrom this floor the nuts are swept OH to the rear by the crossbars Z of the carrier and are delivered to the shaking-shoe of the fan, as hereinafter described. When the peanut-vines are thrown into the hopper C, they are received upon the top of the carrier and are dragged by it underneath the stirring-frame K, which has a lateral reciprocation. This motion of the frame causes .its spring-teeth to spread and distribute the vines across the carrier in a more or less thin'layer and works the peanuts down so that they hang down while still on the vines and pass through the diamond-shaped meshes of the picker-screen M, and as this is stationary while the vines are dragged forwardly by the carrier it will be seen that the nuts are surely torn off and drop down. action is made certain by the weight of nuts, which causes them to drop through the meshes and insures their catching and hanging in the Wire mesh with suflicient resistance to be torn off.

To impart the lateral reciprocation to the stirring-frame K, it is mounted (see Fig. 7) by guides 10 on cross-shafts so as to move freely and is connected (see Fig. 8) by horizontal arms a to crank-arms a on the upper ends of theshort vertical rock-shafts a, and at the lower ends of these rock-shafts there are other arms a at right angles to those above. These lower arms are loosely connected to a horizontal reciprocating bar H arranged beside the machine and parallel with it. This bar H is connected to'a pitman H which (see Fig. 1) in turn is connected to a crank-pin on the wheel H, which is keyed on a and arms a and a the stirring-frame K is moved sidewise.

It has been found that the acute angles of the diamond-shaped mesh of the pickingscreen M are liable after a time to. become wedged'or clogged with dirt and particles of the vines, so that the acute angles become so rounded as to fail to hold and pick off the nuts, allowing many of them to pass out with the vines. To prevent this, the under side of the screen is constantly brushed clean by a brush-belt B Figs. 3 and 5, formed by chains with cross-slats bearing cleaning-bristles. This brush-belt passes around sprocket-Wheels B B and has a tension-regulating device .9.

This

It is driven by a sprocket-wheel B on the end of one of its shafts, which wheel B receives motion from the chain belt h,'as seen inFig. 2. The shoe J consists of two wire screen troughs connected together (see Figs. 3 and 4) and arranged .transversely to the machine. The upper trough inclines downwardly to one side and discharges into the upper end of the lower trough, which inclines in the other direction and emerges from the side of the machine, as seen in Fig. 2. This shoe has on the side next to the fan a Wire screen 8 Fig. 3, through which the blast of air from the fan *passes, but whichscreen prevents the nuts and trash from falling out of that side of the shoe.

and 6 Z) and is shaken by the fan-shaft through a rod P, (see Figs. 1 and 4,) which at one end carries a crank-pin 0 on the end of an outside longitudinally-arranged shaft 0, which shaft at its other end bears a bevel gear-wheel c, that meshes with and receives motion from another bevel-gear a on the fan-shaft.

- It will be seen that when the machine is mounted on the four wheels B for transportation, as in Figs. 1 and 2, the rear end is higher than the front end. When, however, the machine is to be worked, the rear wheels are taken off and the rear end of the casing then sets firmly on the ground, as in Fig. 3, and the picker screens and carrier-belt are brought to a level position. This alsoholds the whole machine in a very rigid position against the torsional strain of the revolving sweep and prevents the rocking of the machine on its axles.

In making use of our invention we do not confine ourselves to the special construction and arrangement of parts shown, as these may be varied in many particulars without departing from our invention. Thus, for instance, instead of running the machine by a team ator other power suitably belted or geared to the main shaft We furthermore do not limit our invention to the gathering of peanuts, as it is obviously adapted to the picking from the vines bearing the same when such vines are cut off with the crop to be harvested.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

i 1. Apicking-machine for picking nuts, &c., from the vines, consisting of a stationary picking-screen for catching and holding the nuts, combined With a carrier-belt for dragging the vines over the screen and a. stirring device consisting of a horizontally reciprocating frame with downwardly-projecting springfingers arranged above the carrier belt to spread the vines and work the nuts through the screen.

2. In a picking-machine, the stirring device consisting of a frame bearing downof any kind of peas, beans, pods, or berries This shoe is sustained upon hanger-bars b 6 tached to the sweep it may be run by steam IIO Correction in Letters Patent No. 808,442.

wardly-projecting fingers, combined with a subjacent carrier and a subjacent pickingscreen, the stirring device being provided with means for imparting a lateral motion to the same.

3. A machine for picking nuts, pods, &c., from vines, comprising a carrier-belt for the vines, a screen arranged beneath the upper run of the belt to tear 0E the nuts and a subjacent cleaner for said screen.

4. A machine for picking nuts, pods, &c., from vines, comprising a carrier for the vines, a picking-screen arranged below the carrier through which the nuts may drop while still adhering to the vines and a movable brush below the screen to clean the same.

5. A machine for picking nuts, pods, &:c., from vines, comprising acarrier for the vines, a picking-screen arranged below the carrier, a movable cleaner below the screen and a stirring device arranged above the carrier to work the nuts through the screen.

6. A machine for picking nuts, pods, &c., from vines, comprising a carrier for the vines, a picking-screen arranged below the carrier, a movable cleaner below the screen, a stirring device arranged above the carrier to work the nuts through the screen and a fan and shaking-shoe for cleaning the nuts.

[SEAL.]

7. A picking-machine for picking nuts, pods, 820., from the vines, comprising a set of picking devices having at one end a fan and shaking-shoe, a vertical driving-shaft with sweep-arm for turning it, wheels supporting the picking and cleaning devices in a position inclined to the horizontal, the tread of the wheels supporting the end of the picking devices opposite the fan being substantially the same distance from the picking devices as the bottom of thefan-case, whereby the bottom of said fan-case when resting upon the ground brings the picking devices horizontal and firm as against the operating strain.

8. A machine for picking nuts, pods, &c., from vines, comprising an endless carrier for the vines, a picking-screen arranged below the upper run of the carrier, an endless brushbelt arranged within the endless carrier below the picking-screen, distending and driving rolls for the endless brush-belt and means for regulating the tension of the brush-belt, substantially as described.

FINTON F. FERGUSON. JESSE T. BENTHALL.

Witnesses:

E. B. HILL, JOHN B. TRADER.

It is hereby certified that Letters Patent No. 808,442, granted December 26, 1905, upon the application of Finton F. Ferguson and Jesse T. Benthall, of Mnrfreesboro, North Carolina, for an improvement in Peanut-Pickers, was erroneously issued to Q Richard T. Barnes, as owner of the entire interest in said invention; that said Letters Patent should have been issued to the inventor Jesse T. Benthall and Richard T. Barnes, jointly, said Richard T. Barnes being the assignee of Finton F. Fergusons onehalf interest only in said patent as shown by the record of assignment in this oflice; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 16th day of January, A; D. 1906.

F. I. ALLEN,

Commissioner of Patents.

Correction in Letters Patent No. 808,442.

wardly-projecting fingers, combined with a subjacent carrier and a subjacent pickingscreen, the stirring device being provided with means for imparting a lateral motion to the same.

3. A machine for picking nuts, pods, &c., from vines, comprising a carrier-belt for the vines, a screen arranged beneath the upper run of the belt to tear 0E the nuts and a subjacent cleaner for said screen.

4. A machine for picking nuts, pods, &c., from vines, comprising a carrier for the vines, a picking-screen arranged below the carrier through which the nuts may drop while still adhering to the vines and a movable brush below the screen to clean the same.

5. A machine for picking nuts, pods, &:c., from vines, comprising acarrier for the vines, a picking-screen arranged below the carrier, a movable cleaner below the screen and a stirring device arranged above the carrier to work the nuts through the screen.

6. A machine for picking nuts, pods, &c., from vines, comprising a carrier for the vines, a picking-screen arranged below the carrier, a movable cleaner below the screen, a stirring device arranged above the carrier to work the nuts through the screen and a fan and shaking-shoe for cleaning the nuts.

[SEAL.]

7. A picking-machine for picking nuts, pods, 820., from the vines, comprising a set of picking devices having at one end a fan and shaking-shoe, a vertical driving-shaft with sweep-arm for turning it, wheels supporting the picking and cleaning devices in a position inclined to the horizontal, the tread of the wheels supporting the end of the picking devices opposite the fan being substantially the same distance from the picking devices as the bottom of thefan-case, whereby the bottom of said fan-case when resting upon the ground brings the picking devices horizontal and firm as against the operating strain.

8. A machine for picking nuts, pods, &c., from vines, comprising an endless carrier for the vines, a picking-screen arranged below the upper run of the carrier, an endless brushbelt arranged within the endless carrier below the picking-screen, distending and driving rolls for the endless brush-belt and means for regulating the tension of the brush-belt, substantially as described.

FINTON F. FERGUSON. JESSE T. BENTHALL.

Witnesses:

E. B. HILL, JOHN B. TRADER.

It is hereby certified that Letters Patent No. 808,442, granted December 26, 1905, upon the application of Finton F. Ferguson and Jesse T. Benthall, of Mnrfreesboro, North Carolina, for an improvement in Peanut-Pickers, was erroneously issued to Q Richard T. Barnes, as owner of the entire interest in said invention; that said Letters Patent should have been issued to the inventor Jesse T. Benthall and Richard T. Barnes, jointly, said Richard T. Barnes being the assignee of Finton F. Fergusons onehalf interest only in said patent as shown by the record of assignment in this oflice; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 16th day of January, A; D. 1906.

F. I. ALLEN,

Commissioner of Patents.

ion in Letters Patent No. 808,442.

Correc It is hereby certified that Letters Patent No. 808,442, granted Dvcumhvr 26. 1905, upon the application of Fintou F. Ferguson and Jesse T. Benthall, of Murfreesboro,

North Carolina, for an improvement in Peanut-Pickers, was erroneously issued to Richard T. B'rwnws, as ownernf the entire inburest in said invention; that said Luttvrs Patent should hawhevn isslu-(l tn Lhv inventor Jesse T. Bentlmll and Richard T.

Barnoa "rain/[L said Richard 1. Burners hem" the assi nw of Fintun l. Fvr nson's (m0- .v b P hall" intwrmt only In SiLi'] awn! as shown by the record of ;1S.\i {lll1l(lll in this UffiCO:

and that tlw said Letters Patent should be read with this uurn-utiun tin-ruin that the samv may muform L0 the record of the case in the Patent ()fliuu Signed and hliah'd this 16th day of January, A. D.. 1906.

[smlhj ALLEN 

